Factors associated with unplanned clinical encounters for ureteral stent-related symptoms.

BACKGROUND, INTRODUCTION AND AIM: Ureteral stent-related symptoms (USRS) often result in unplanned phone calls and ER visits. We hypothesize that patient factors can be identified to predict these unplanned encounters. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Retrospective analysis of indwelling ureteral stent placements from 2014 to 2019 at a single institution by CPT code was performed. Patient demographics, discharge medications, and clinical factors were evaluated using multiple logistic regression with respect to postoperative telephone and emergency room (ER) encounters for USRS. RESULTS: Of 374 patients, 75 (20.1%) had one or more encounters for USRS: 48 (12.8%) called the clinic and 39 (10.4%) returned to the ER. Chronic opioid use was predictive of calls to clinic and ER visits (OR 3.21 [CI 1.42-6.97], p < 0.01 and OR 3.64 [CI 1.45-8.98], p < 0.01). Survival analysis stratified by history of chronic opioid use and discharge opioid prescriptions demonstrated that opioid naïve patients receiving opioids at discharge had unplanned encounters sooner and more often [Calls p = 0.025, ER p = 0.041]), whereas patients with chronic opioid use returned to the ER sooner and more frequently when prescribed additional opioids (Calls p = 0.4, ER p = 0.002). CONCLUSION: Patients with a history of chronic opioid use may experience more intense USRS or have a lower threshold to seek medical care than opioid naïve patients and tend to bypass calling the clinic for the ER. Given that none of the studied medications reduced unplanned patient contact for USRS, urologists should consider upfront definitive management of urinary obstruction when appropriate.

Comparison of acetaminophen, ketamine, or ketorolac versus morphine in the treatment of acute renal colic: A network meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Renal colic is a disease in which a calculus obstructs the urinary tract, resulting in severe pain do ureteric peristaltic movements. Other symptoms, such as hematuria, nausea, and vomiting, may accompany the pain. This network meta-analysis aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of different analgesic agents for the treatment of acute renal colic. METHODS: Medline, Embase, and CENTRAL databases were searched. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that compared different analgesic agents, either alone or in combination were included. For the management of acute renal colic, analgesic agents were selected based on the current standard medical practice. The medications included intravenous acetaminophen, ketamine, ketorolac, and morphine. This study sought to evaluate the pain score on the visual analog scale (VAS) at 15, 30, and 60 min; adverse events; and the utilization of rescue therapy. The efficacy of different analgesic agents was explored through a frequentist network meta-analysis using the Netmeta statistical package in R software. All treatments were ranked using the Netrank function, yielding P-scores. RESULTS: Twelve RCTs were deemed eligible. As per the P-scores, acetaminophen was the most effective in reducing pain score at 15 min (P-score = 0.74). Ketorolac was the most effective in reducing the pain score at 30 and 60 min (P-score = 0.84) (P-score = 0.99), whereas morphine was the least effective (P-score = 0.07). Moreover, morphine was correlated with the highest odds of adverse events after treatment (P-score = 0.89). Morphine was the most frequently required rescue therapy in cases of suboptimal pain relief (P-score = 0.96). CONCLUSION: This network meta-analysis demonstrated that ketorolac and acetaminophen were the most effective analgesic agents according to the pain score. Morphine showed the highest adverse event profile and the highest rate at which rescue therapy was required for the management of acute renal colic.

Implications of Opioid Prescriptions for Acute Renal Colic in the Emergency Setting on Return Visits and Long-Term Opioid Dependence.

Introduction: We sought to examine the practice patterns of pain management in the emergency room (ER) for renal colic and the impact of opioid prescriptions on return ER visits and persistent opioid use. Methods: TriNetX is a collaborative research enterprise that collects real-time data from multiple health care organizations within the United States. The Research Network obtains data from electronic medical records and the Diamond Network provides claims data. We queried the Research Network for adults who visited the ER for urolithiasis, stratified by receipt of oral opioid prescriptions, to calculate the risk ratio (RR) of patients returning to the ER within 14 days and persistent opioid use ≥6 months from the initial visit. Propensity score matching was performed to control for confounders. The analysis was repeated in the Diamond Network as a validation cohort. Results: There were 255,447 patients in the research network who visited the ER for urolithiasis, of whom 75,405 (29.5%) were prescribed oral opioids. Black patients were less likely to receive opioid prescriptions than other races (p < 0.001). After propensity score matching, patients who were prescribed opioids had an increased risk of a return ER visit (RR 1.25, confidence interval [95% CI] 1.22-1.29, p < 0.001) and persistent opioid use (RR 1.12, 95% CI 1.11-1.14, p < 0.001) compared with patients who were not prescribed opioids. These findings were confirmed in the validation cohort. Conclusions: A significant proportion of patients presenting to the ER for urolithiasis receive opioid prescriptions, which carries a markedly increased risk of return ER visits and long-term opioid use.

Wunderlich Syndrome: Early Misdiagnosis with Acute Renal Colic During COVID-19 Pandemic.

Wunderlich syndrome, also known as the spontaneous non-traumatic retroperitoneal hemorrhage, is an uncommon condition characterized by acute, spontaneous, non-traumatic renal hemorrhage into the subcapsular or perirenal spaces. The majority of the cases are caused by renal cell carcinoma or renal angiomyolipoma. Other causes are arteriovenous malformation, cystic renal disease, and anticoagulation medications. The classic presentation is "Lenk's triad" of acute flank pain, palpable flank mass, and hypovolemia. The diagnosis is based on clinical suspicion and confirmed by a CT scan, which is the preferred imaging modality. Due to the rarity of these cases and the wide range of clinical manifestations, the treatment is divergent ranging from conservative management to nephrectomy. Herein, we present a case of massive right renal hemorrhage caused by warfarin toxicity that was initially misdiagnosed as acute renal colic due to the patient's refusal to refer to the clinic during Corona Virus Disease- 19 era and was later managed with a right nephrectomy.

A Case of Spontaneous Ureteral Rupture Mimicking Renal Colic.

A 67-year-old female presented to the emergency department with acute-onset severe left flank pain as well as nausea and vomiting. Physical examination was notable for left-sided abdominal, flank tenderness, and costovertebral angle tenderness. Laboratory workup revealed an elevated lactate of 9.2 mmol/L and elevated serum creatinine of 1.14 mg/dL, with an estimated glomerular filtration rate of 53 mL/minute/1.73m2. Urinalysis showed moderate leukocyte esterase with microscopy showing 12 white blood cells and three red blood cells per high-power field. CT of the abdomen and pelvis with intravenous contrast was notable for moderate amounts of left-sided perinephric and periureteric fluid without the presence of an obstructing calculus. Due to the amount of perinephric and periureteric fluid without associated nephrolithiasis, the differential diagnosis was broadened to include spontaneous ureter rupture as well as concern for malignancy. A delayed post-contrast CT scan of the abdomen and pelvis was obtained, which confirmed a spontaneous proximal and mid-ureter rupture. Spontaneous ureter rupture is a rare disease process with significant morbidity and mortality. It often poses a diagnostic dilemma due to a lack of clinical awareness and varied presentation. Diagnosis rests upon obtaining delayed post-contrast CT of the abdomen and pelvis. Currently, there are no standardized treatment guidelines, although most experts utilize minimally invasive endourological approaches in their treatment plans.

Impacto de la presentación tardía al servicio de Urgencias por cólico renal agudo en los resultados bioquímicos y clínicos / Impact of a delayed presentation to the emergency department for acute renal colic on biochemical and clinical outcomes

Introducción y objetivo Verificar el impacto en los resultados bioquímicos y clínicos de la demora en acudir al servicio de Urgencias (SU) ante un cólico renal agudo. Materiales y métodos Los datos se recogieron retrospectivamente en 3 instituciones de 2 países europeos, desde el 1 de enero hasta el 30 de abril del 2020. Se incluyó a los pacientes que acudieron a Urgencias con un cólico renal unilateral o bilateral causado por urolitiasis confirmada por imagen durante el periodo de estudio. La consulta en el SU después de 24 h desde el inicio de los síntomas se consideró tardía. Los pacientes que acudieron antes de las 24 h desde el inicio de los síntomas se incluyeron en el grupo A y los pacientes que se presentaron después de las 24 h se adjudicaron al grupo B. Se compararon los parámetros clínicos y bioquímicos, así como el manejo recibido por cada paciente. Resultados Se analizó a 397 pacientes que acudieron a Urgencias con urolitiasis confirmada (grupo A, n = 199; grupo B, n = 198). La mediana (RIC) de demora hasta la consulta fue de 2 días (1,5-4). En el momento de la consulta, no se encontraron diferencias estadísticamente significativas entre los 2 grupos de pacientes en cuanto a los síntomas como fiebre y dolor en el flanco, o la mediana de los niveles séricos de creatinina, proteína C reactiva y leucocitos. No se encontraron diferencias en cuanto al tratamiento conservador o quirúrgico. Conclusiones La demora > 24 h hasta acudir al SU no se asocia a un empeoramiento de los parámetros bioquímicos ni de los resultados clínicos. La mayoría de los pacientes con dolor lumbar agudo no siempre necesitan acudir de forma inmediata a urgencias, pudiendo ser tratados en consultas externas (AU)

Introduction and objective To verify the impact of delay on biochemical and clinical outcomes for patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) with acute renal colic. Materials and methods Data were retrospectively collected from 3 institutions of 2 European countries between 01 January and 30 April 2020. Patients who presented to the ED with unilateral or bilateral renal colic caused by urolithiasis confirmed by imaging tests during the study period were included. A presentation after 24 hours since the onset of symptoms was considered a delay. Patients presenting before 24 hours from the symptom onset were included in Group A, while the patients presenting after 24 hours in Group B. Clinical and biochemical parameters and management were compared. Results 397 patients who presented to ED with confirmed urolithiasis were analyzed (Group A, n = 199; Group B, n = 198. The median (IQR) delay in presentation was 2 days (1,5-4). At presentation, no statistically significant differences were found amongst the 2 groups of patients regarding presenting symptoms such as fever and flank pain, and the median serum levels of creatinine, C reactive protein and white blood cells. No differences were found in terms of conservative or operative management. Conclusions Delay in consultation >24 hours is not associated with worsening biochemical parameters and clinical outcomes. Most patients with acute loin pain do not necessarily need urgent attendance to the ED and may be managed in the outpatients (AU)

Impact of a delayed presentation to the emergency department for acute renal colic on biochemical and clinical outcomes.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: To verify the impact of delay on biochemical and clinical outcomes for patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) with acute renal colic. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data were retrospectively collected from three institutions of two European countries between 01 January and 30 April 2020. Patients who presented to the ED with unilateral or bilateral renal colic caused by urolithiasis confirmed by imaging tests during the study period were included. A presentation after 24 h since the onset of symptoms was considered a delay. Patients presenting before 24 h from the symptom onset were included in Group A, while the patients presenting after 24 h in Group B. Clinical and biochemical parameters and management were compared. RESULTS: A total of 397 patients who presented to ED with confirmed urolithiasis were analyzed (Group A, n = 199; Group B, n = 198. The median (IQR) delay in presentation was 2 days (1,5-4). At presentation, no statistically significant differences were found amongst the two groups of patients regarding presenting symptoms such as fever and flank pain, and the median serum levels of creatinine, C reactive protein and white blood cells. No differences were found in terms of conservative or operative management. CONCLUSION: Delay in consultation >24 h is not associated with worsening biochemical parameters and clinical outcomes. Most patients with acute loin pain do not necessarily need urgent attendance to the ED and may be managed in the outpatients.

Correlation of Severity of Renal Colic With Clinical, Laboratory, and Radiological Parameters: An Emergency Department-Based Prospective Observational Study.

Introduction In this study, we investigated the correlation of severity of renal colic with clinical parameters like pain characteristics, haematuria and pyuria, laboratory parameters such as inflammatory markers, and radiological parameters including site and size of stone and hydronephrosis. Methods The Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) determined the pain severity. Detailed history and clinicodemographic profiling of the patient was done, laboratory investigations were done, ultrasound and non-contrast computed tomography of kidney-ureter-bladder were done and all the parameters were duly noted and correlated with the pain severity. Result The mean age of the 183 patients was 43.96 ± 15.16 years, and 62.8% were male. The patients' mean VAS score at presentation was 8.57 ± 1.08. The mean VAS score was found to be statistically higher in patients having a first episode of renal colic, solitary kidney, pyuria, raised creatinine, severe hydronephrosis, and stones located at the renal pelvis. In addition, higher VAS scores led to more surgical interventions. Conclusion The correlation of pain severity of renal colic with various parameters can aid in the development of quick diagnostic and therapeutic protocols for patients presenting to the emergency department with renal stone disease. This study shows that pain scores can correlate with various parameters and predict the outcome and complications in these patients.

Assessing Patient Satisfaction with Kidney Stone Information Advice During Admission for Acute Renal Colic.

Aims This study focuses on the assessment of patient reported outcome measures (PROMs) following an educational intervention by urological service providers. In the modern era, social media and search engines are used as educational tools for both patients and healthcare providers alike. The aim of the study was to assess patient satisfaction with kidney stone information, through the viewing of a novel kidney stone educational video. Methods A prospective quality improvement study was conducted amongst patients admitted to our urology service with kidney stones undergoing emergency ureteroscopy using a patient satisfaction questionnaire. Results Patients reported increased satisfaction with overall information provided about kidney stone prevention after viewing the kidney stone educational video (4.8 vs 4 p=0.01). They also reported increased satisfaction with information provided about diet and lifestyle modification (4.5 vs3 p=0.02) (4.6 vs 3 p=0.02), information and demonstration on stent removal 4.8 vs 3.17 p=0.029), information on stent pain (4.7 vs 2.6 P=0.016) and availability of educational information and resources after viewing the video (4.8 vs 2.83 p=0.017). There were 17 patients in total included for statistical analysis. Conclusion Patient satisfaction with traditional patient education regarding kidney stones can be further strengthened through the use of a concise, informative, and readily accessible patient education video during and after point of care.

Acupuncture as adjunctive therapy for acute renal colic caused by urinary calculi: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Acute renal colic caused by urinary calculi (ARCUC) has a considerable impact on the quality of life. Acupuncture might be a potential treatment option. However, the evidence is limited. We will conduct this trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of acupuncture as adjunctive treatment to diclofenac for ARCUC. METHODS/DESIGN: A total of 80 eligible patients who are diagnosed with urinary stone renal colic will be randomly allocated to the acupuncture group or the sham acupuncture group. Each patient will receive 1 session of acupuncture or sham acupuncture. The primary outcome will be the response rate of patients achieving a reduction of > 50% on visual analog score (VAS) from baseline to 10 min after treatment. Secondary outcomes will include the VAS, remedial analgesia, re-visit and admission rate, blinding assessment, credibility and expectancy, and adverse event. All patients who receive randomization will be included in the intent-to-treat analysis. DISCUSSION: The finding of this trial will provide evidence on the efficacy and safety of acupuncture for the treatment of ARCUC. The results of this study will be published in peer-reviewed journals. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov ChiCTR 1900025202 . Registered on August 16, 2019.

A Diagnostic Score for Reliable Confirmation of Acute Renal Colic Among Patients With Acute Abdominal Pain.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Diagnostic scores (DSs) for confirmation of acute renal colic (ARCO) have rarely been evaluated. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A cohort of 1,333 patients with acute abdominal pain (AAP) were studied, including 59 patients with confirmed ARCO. The most significant diagnostic findings (in multivariate logistic regression analysis) were used to construct DS formulas for the diagnosis of ARCO. Meta-analytical techniques were used to detect the summary sensitivity and specificity estimates for each data set (clinical symptoms, signs and tests, as well as DS formulas). RESULTS: In hierarchical summary receiver operating characteristic analysis (HSROC), the values for area under the curve (95% confidence interval) for i) clinical symptoms ii) signs and tests, and iii) DS were 0.650 (0.612-0.688), 0.724 (0.680-0.768) and 0.962 (0.940-0.984), respectively. In HSROC analysis of the area under the curve values, differences were significant between i) and iii) (p<0.0001) and between ii) and iii) (p<0.0001). CONCLUSION: The present study is the first to provide evidence suggesting that the DS can be used for clinical confirmation of ARCO in patients with AAP, with a high diagnostic accuracy without radiological or laboratory analyses.

Racial disparities in analgesic use amongst patients presenting to the emergency department for kidney stones in the United States.

INTRODUCTION: We sought quantify racial disparities in use of analgesia amongst patients seen in Emergency Departments for renal colic. METHODS: We identified all individuals presenting to the Emergency Department with urolithiasis from 2003 to 2015 in the nationally representative Premier Hospital Database. We included patients discharged in ≤1 day and excluded those with chronic pain or renal insufficiency. We assessed the relationship between race/ethnicity and opioid dosage in morphine milligram equivalents (MME), and ketorolac, through multivariable regression models adjusting for patient and hospital characteristics. RESULTS: The cohort was 266,210 patients, comprised of White (84%), Black (6%) and Hispanic (10%) individuals. Median opioid dosage was 20 MME and 55.5% received ketorolac. Our adjusted model showed Whites had highest median MME (20 mg) with Blacks (-3.3 mg [95% CI: -4.6 mg to -2.1 mg]) and Hispanics (-6.0 mg [95% CI: -6.9 mg to -5.1 mg]) receiving less. Blacks were less likely to receive ketorolac (OR: 0.72, 95% CI: 0.62-0.84) while there was no difference between Whites and Hispanics. CONCLUSIONS: Black and Hispanic patients in American Emergency Departments with acute renal colic receive less opioid medication than White patients; Black patients are also less likely to receive ketorolac.

Doppler sonographic evaluation of resistive index of intra-renal arteries in acute ureteric obstruction.

BACKGROUND: Acute ureteric colic is one of the most commonly encountered acute abdominal conditions. Diagnosis of obstruction caused by ureteric calculus occasionally becomes challenging if there is inadequate dilation of the urinary tract proximal to obstruction. In such a situation, intra-renal artery Doppler parameters can be used as a diagnostic tool. Our study compared intra-renal arterial Doppler in patients with obstructed and non-obstructed kidneys presenting within 24 h of onset of symptoms of unilateral acute renal colic. RESULTS: The resistivity index (RI) in the segmental arteries of all 54 patients with obstructed kidneys was significantly higher than in those with non-obstructed kidney: 0.75 vs. 0.56, with a p value less than 0.001, a sensitivity of 85% and a specificity of 93%. CONCLUSION: Doppler ultrasound is a useful diagnostic tool in the evaluation of acute renal obstruction, thus enabling practitioners to avoid ordering unnecessary CT and exposing patients to ionizing radiation. An RI value > 0.7 has good sensitivity and specificity in our study. The results obtained in the study were comparable to those of pioneer studies conducted worldwide.

Safety and efficacy of Tamsulosin as medical expulsive therapy in pregnancy.

PURPOSE: Use of medical expulsive therapy (MET) is common practice in urology for the treatment of symptomatic urolithiasis, despite this its efficacy is debated. Its use in pregnancy is controversial. Our objective was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of Tamsulosin as a MET in pregnant women. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We retrospectively identified pregnant patients who presented with renal colic at the CHU de Québec from 2000 to 2015. We compared patients who received Tamsulosin as MET to a control group without MET. We evaluated efficacy as passage rate of lithiasis and necessity of intervention. We evaluated safety of the treatment according to fetal outcomes (birth weight, APGAR, gestational age). RESULTS: We evaluated 207 pregnant patients presenting renal colic, 69 patients in the MET group were compared to 138 patients in the control group. Of these, 48 (70%) in the Tamsulosin therapy group and 76 (56%) in the control group had proven urolithiasis. No significant difference was found for mean gestational age at birth, birth weight and APGAR. No sudden infant death syndrome was encountered in Tamsulosin group. There was no significant difference for length of hospital stay and need for surgical intervention. The spontaneous passage rate was 58% (25/48) in the MET group compared to 43% (29/76), but this difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.18). CONCLUSIONS: Short-term utilisation of Tamsulosin as MET in second and third trimester of pregnancy is not associated with adverse maternal or infant outcomes. Moreover, there was no significant adjunct for the rate of stone passage.

Increasing Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs and Reducing Opioids or Paracetamol in the Management of Acute Renal Colic: Based on Three-Stage Study Design of Network Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

Background: Currently, although non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) were recommended for acute renal colic in the 2018 European Association of Urology guidelines, there are no specific NSAIDs and no specific routes of administration in this guideline. The clinical practice of advocating intravenous opioids as the initial analgesia is still common out of the fear of adverse events from NSAIDs. Objectives: To comprehensively assess the efficacy and safety of NSAIDs, opioids, paracetamol, and combination therapy for acute renal colic. Methods: Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid EMbase, the Cochrane Library, Clinical Trials Registry Platform for Clinicaltrials.gov, and WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform were searched through February 2, 2018. Two reviewers selected all randomized controlled trails (RCTs) regarding NSAIDs, opioids, paracetamol, combination therapy, and placebo were identified for analysis. We designed a three-stage strategy based on classification and pharmacological mechanisms in the first stage, routes of administration in the second stage, and specific drug branches with different routes in the third stage using network meta-analysis. The pain variance at 30 min was seen as the primary outcome. Results: 65 RCTs with 8633 participants were involved. Comparing different classification and pharmacological mechanisms, combination therapy with more adverse events was more efficient than NSAIDs for the primary outcomes. Opioids gave rise to more nonspecific adverse events and vomiting events. NSAIDs were superior to opioids, paracetamol, and combination therapy after a full consideration of all outcomes. Comparing different routes of administration, NSAIDs with IV or IM route ranked first from efficacy and safety perspective. Comparing different specific drug branches with different routes, ibuprofen via IV route, ketorolac via IV route and diclofenac via IM route were superior for the management of acute renal colic. The results from diclofenac using IM route were more than those from ibuprofen used with IV route and ketorolac with IV route. Conclusions: In patients with adequate renal function, diclofenac via the IM route is recommended for patients without risks of cardiovascular events. Ibuprofen and ketorolac with IV route potentially superior to diclofenac via IM route remain to be investigated. Combination therapy is an alternative choice for uncontrolled pain after the use of NSAIDs.

Prospective Evaluation of Predictive Parameters for Urinary Tract Infection in Patients with Acute Renal Colic.

BACKGROUND: Acute renal colic (ARC) is an emergency that can mostly be treated conservatively, but can be life threatening in combination with urinary tract infection (UTI). Assessment for infection includes white blood cell (WBC) count and C-reactive protein (CRP), but these parameters are often unspecifically elevated and might lead to antibiotic over-therapy. In times of increasing antibiotic resistance, however, unnecessary antibiotic therapy should be avoided. OBJECTIVES: The goal of the study was to investigate the prevalence of UTI proven by urine culture (UC) in patients with ARC and to identify predictive factors in the emergency setting. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We prospectively enrolled 200 consecutive patients with ARC and evaluated blood test results, urinalysis, UC, symptoms suspicious for UTI, and time between symptom onset and admission, as well as body temperature. Logistic regression analyses were performed to identify predictive factors. RESULTS: There were 196 patients eligible for statistical analysis. UTI proven by positive UC was detected in 26 patients (13%). On multivariate logistic regression analysis, suspicious urinalysis (positive nitrite or bacteria > 20/high-power field [hpf] or WBC > 20/hpf), patient age ≥ 54 years and CRP ≥ 1.5 mg/dL (fivefold increase) were significant predictors for the presence of UTI. Neither elevated WBC count nor typical UTI symptoms were associated with UTI. CONCLUSIONS: Based on our results, a routine antibiotic prophylaxis in patients with ARC does not seem to be appropriate. Patient age and CRP can help to decide if antibiotic treatment might be indicated, even in case of a not clearly suspicious urinalysis.

A retrospective analysis of nebulized versus intravenous fentanyl for renal colic.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To assess the effectiveness of nebulized fentanyl used for analgesia in renal colic. MATERIALS/METHODS: This research was planned as a randomized, blinded study in which prospectively collected data were analyzed retrospectively to compare nebulized and intravenous (iv) fentanyl therapies. Patients with renal colic with 'moderate' or worse pain on a four-point verbal pain score (VPS) or with pain of 20mm or above on a 100-mm visual analogue score (VAS) at time of presentation were randomized into iv fentanyl (n=62) or nebulized fentanyl (n=53) study groups. Decreases in VAS and VPS scores at 15 and 30min compared to baseline, rescue analgesia requirements and side-effects between the groups were compared. RESULTS: Both iv fentanyl and nebulized fentanyl provided effective analgesia in renal colic patients at the end of 30min. However, iv fentanyl provided more rapid and more effective analgesia than nebulized fentanyl. Patients receiving iv fentanyl had lower rescue analgesia requirements than those receiving nebulized fentanyl (37.1% vs 54.7%), although the difference was not statistically significant (p=0.058). In addition, side-effects were more common in the iv fentanyl group compared to the nebulized fentanyl group (22.1% vs 9.4%), although the difference was also not significant (p=0.058). CONCLUSION: Nebulized fentanyl provides effective analgesia in patients with renal colic. However, iv fentanyl exhibits more rapid and more powerful analgesic effects than nebulized fentanyl. Nonetheless, due to its ease of use and few potential risks and side-effects the nebulized form can be used as an alternative in renal colic.

Impact of dual energy characterization of urinary calculus on management.

INTRODUCTION: Dual energy CT (DECT) is a recent technique that is increasingly being used to differentiate between calcium and uric acid urinary tract calculi. The aim of this study is to determine if urinary calculi composition analysis determined by DECT scanning results in a change of patient management. METHOD: All patients presenting with symptoms of renal colic, who had not previously undergone DECT scanning underwent DECT KUB. DECT data of all patients between September 2013 and July 2015 were reviewed. Urinary calculi composition based on dual energy characterization was cross-matched with patient management and outcome. RESULTS: A total of 585 DECT KUB were performed. 393/585 (67%) DECT scans revealed urinary tract calculi. After excluding those with isolated bladder or small asymptomatic renal stones, 303 patients were found to have symptomatic stone(s) as an explanation for their presentation. Of these 303 patients, there were 273 (90.1%) calcium calculi, 19 (6.3%) uric acid calculi and 11 (3.4%) mixed calculi. Of those with uric acid calculi, 15 were commenced on dissolution therapy. Twelve of those commenced on dissolution therapy had a successful outcome, avoiding need for surgical intervention (lithotripsy or stone retrieval). Three patients failed dissolution therapy and required operative intervention for definitive management of the stone. CONCLUSION: Predicting urinary tract calculi composition by DECT plays an important role in identifying patients who may be managed with dissolution therapy. Identification of uric acid stone composition altered management in 15 of 303 (5.0%) patients, and was successful in 12, thereby avoiding surgery and its attendant risks.

Analgesic Effects and Safety of Desmopressin, Tramadol and Indomethacin in Patients with Acute Renal Colic; A Randomized Clinical Trial.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy of desmopressin (DDAVP), tramadol and indomethacin on pain intensity of patients with acute renal colic caused by urolithiasis. METHODS: This prospective, randomized clinical trial was conducted between July 2005 and July 2006 including 120 patients (70 men and 50 women, mean age 38.2±5.8 years) referring to emergency room of Shahid Faghihi hospital with renal colic caused by urolithiasis without any previous treatment. The patients were randomly assigned to three groups: group A received tramadol 50mg intramuscularly (n=40), group B received desmopressin 40 µg intranasally (n=40) and group C received indomethacin 100mg rectally (n=40). The pain was assessed both on admission and 30 minutes after the intervention. The pain intensity and the side effects were compared between two study groups. RESULTS: There was no significant difference between two study groups regarding the baseline characteristics. The intensity of pain of presentation was almost similar in all groups. In group A, 30 patients (75%), in group B, 15 patients (37.5%) and in group C, 19 patients (47.5%) had complete pain relief. The pain intensity decreased significantly after the intervention within all three groups (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: According to the results of the current study, rectal indomethacin, intramuscular tramadol and intranasal desmopressin are effective and safe routs of controlling pain in acute renal colic secondary to urolithiasis. Tramadol was the most effective agent in controlling the pain.

The Effect of Shakuyakukanzoto for Renal Colic / 日本東洋医学雑誌

Aim:Shakuyakukanzoto is a Japanese herbal medicine that is known to be useful for the treatment of urinary stone pain. In this study, we investigated the effects of shakuyakukanzoto for acute renal colic.Methods:Twenty-five patients were enrolled in this study. Eleven patients took 5.0 g of shakuyakukanzoto powder, and 14 control patients took non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for their acute renal colic. The effects were evaluated before and 15, 30, and 60 minutes after treatment with a numerical rating scale (NRS). We defined scale point zero as not having pain, and scale point ten as having the strongest pain.Results:Mean NRS scores improved from 6.7 ± 2.3 to 3.4 ± 3.5 after 15 minutes (shakuyakukanzoto group), and from 8.3 ± 1.8 to 7.0 ± 1.9 after 15 minutes (control group). NRS scores were improved immediately and significantly in both groups. The NRS score of shakuyakukanzoto group was significantly lower than that of control group at the any time after treatment. No side effects were observed in this study.Conclusion : Shakuyakukanzoto has an immediate effect, and it is more effective than NSAIDs. Shakuyakukanzoto was a useful treatment for acute renal colic.